Last week we shared with you that there will be different allowable accessibility features and accommodations for students taking PARCC Assessments.
Some of the features will need to be identified in advance, and will require what’s called a “Personal Needs Profile”, or PNP.
The PNP should be based on observations and stated preferences by the student or parent/guardian on a student’s testing needs that have been found to increase access during instruction and assessment. Observations based on a student’s interaction with the online testing platform can be made through the practice tests. A student’s testing needs should be reviewed at least annually, and revised as appropriate, to reflect current education-related needs or preferences.
Who creates the PNP for a student?
For students with disabilities, the IEP or 504 team will create the PNP.
For English learners, the educators responsible for selecting accommodations (or an English learner team, if available) will identify the accessibility features in the PNP for the student.
For English learners with disabilities, the IEP or 504 team (which includes an adult familiar with the language needs of the student) will make PNP decisions.
For students without disabilities, and who are not English learners, PNP decisions will be made based on the student’s education-related needs and preferences by an informal team, which may include the:
Student (as appropriate)
Parent/guardian
Student’s primary educator in the subject of the assessment
Principals may determine that any student may require one or more of the following test administration considerations, regardless of the student’s status as a student with a disability or who is an English learner:
Small group testing
Frequent breaks
Time of day
Separate or alternate location
Specified area or seating
Adaptive and specialized equipment or furniture
Below is the table of Accessibility Features that will be available for all students, and includes which ones will require a PNP.
Table1: Accessibility Features for All Students
Support
Description
Identified in Advanceby a PNP (During Test Registration Process)
Answer Masking
The student electronically “covers” answer options, as needed.
Yes
Audio Amplification
The student raises or lowers the volume control, as needed, using headphones. Student must be tested in a separate setting if unable to wear headphones.
Background/Font Color (Color Contrast)
The student changes the on screen background and/or font color based on need or preference.
Black on Cream Black on Light Blue Black on Light Magenta White on Black Light Blue on Dark Blue
Yes
Blank Paper (provided by test administrator)
The student may be provided blank sheet(s) of paper on which to plan or organize item responses.
Eliminate Answer Choices
The student “crosses out” possible answer choices (for multiple choice items only).
Flag Items for Review
The student highlights items to review later.
General Administration Directions Clarified (by test administrator)
The test administrator clarifies general administration instructions only. No part of the test may be clarified, nor may any assistance be provided to the student during testing.
General Administration Directions Read Aloud and Repeated as Needed (by test administrator)
The student clicks a button to read aloud or repeat instructions. Student must be tested in a separate setting, if unable to wear headphones.
December 12 Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Although the accessibility features available on the PARCC Assessments are based on universal design principles as applied to assessments, and are intended to increase access for most students, many students with disabilities may need additional accommodations when taking the PARCC assessments. For students with disabilities, IEP or 504 team members are responsible for making decisions about which accommodations the student will need, as well as which features to increase accessibility must be selected for a student’s Personal Needs Profile (PNP). PARCC accommodations listed in this section are intended only for:
Students with disabilities who have the accommodation documented in an approved IEP or 504 plan prior to the date of test administration; and
Students who use the accommodation routinely (with rare exceptions) during classroom instruction and locally-administered assessments, both before and after the test is administered.
Below are ADMINISTRATION Accommodations. Next week we will share RESPONSE Accommodations.
Accommodation
Administration Guidelines
Additional Assistive Technology
Guidelines will be provided in winter 2013.
Braille Edition of ELA/Literacy and Mathematics Assessments
Note:
Hard-copy braille testsf or ELA/Literacy and Mathematics)
Refreshable braille displays for ELA/Literacy only)
Refreshable braille displays must be used in conjunction with screen reader software. For students with visual impairments who are unable to take the computer-based test with a refreshable braille display, a contracted braille form will be available.
Closed-Captioning of Multimedia Passages on the ELA/Literacy Assessments
Students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing view captioned text on multimedia(i.e., video)on ELA/Literacy assessments.
Descriptive Video
Students who are blind or visually impaired listen to narrated audio description of key visual elements in multimedia (i.e.,video) passages on ELA/Literacy assessments.
Paper-and-Pencil Edition of the
ELA/Literacy and Mathematics
Assessments
A paper-and-pencil form of each assessment is available for students who are unable to take a computer-delivered assessment due to a disability.The list of accommodations available for students who take the paper-pencil form is included in Appendix A.
Tactile Graphics
Students who are blind or visually impaired and read braille use tactile graphics.
Text-to-Speech or Video of a
Human Interpreter for the
ELA/Literacy Assessments, including items,response options,and passages
The accommodation is intended to provide access to printed or written texts in the PARCC ELA/Literacy assessments to a very small number of students with disabilities who would otherwise be unable to participate in the assessment because their disability severely limits or prevents them from decoding printed text.
Note:If headphones are not used, the student must be tested in a separate setting.
IEP or 504 plan teams may consider providing this accommodation to a student who has a print-related disability that severely limits or prevents his or her ability to access printed text by decoding,or who is blind and is unable to access braille to read text. This accommodation is not intended for student sreading somewhat (i.e., moderately)below grade level.
Guidelines are provided below for IEP and 504 Teams to identify students to receive this accommodation:
In making decisions whether to provide the student with this accommodation, IEP and 504 teams are instructed to consider whether the student has:
Blindness or a visual impairment and has not learned (or is unable to use) braille;
OR
A disability that severely limits or prevents him/her from accessing printed text,even after varied and repeated attempts to teach the student to do so (e.g.,student is unable to decode printed text or read fluently);
OR
Deafness or a hearing impairment and is severely limited or prevented from decoding text due to a documented history of early and prolonged language deprivation
Before listing the accommodation in the student’s IEP or 504 plan, teams should also consider whether:
The student has access to printed text during routine instruction through a reader or other spoken-text audio format,or interpreter;
The student’s inability to decode printed text or read braille is documented in evaluation summaries from locally-administered diagnostic assessments;
The student receives on going, intensive instruction and/or interventions in the foundational readings kills to continue to attain the important college and career-ready skill of independent reading.
Decisions about who receives this accommodation will be made by IEP and 504 teams. However, PARCC will collect data on the frequency of its use for the purpose of carefully monitoring and determining appropriate decision-making.
Refer to Appendix D: Reading Access & Sign Interpreter
Accommodation Decision-Making Tool for additional guidance.
Human Readers providing the read aloud accommodation must refer to Appendix B: Test Administration Protocol for the Read Aloud Accommodation and Appendix I: Audio and Human Reader Guidelines for the English Language Arts/Literacy for administrative guidance.
Reporting Notation to Schools and Parents:
A notation will be provided on all confidential score reports to the school and parent (i.e., parent/guardian report, school roster,and district roster) stating that the student was given a reading access accommodation on the PARCC ELA/Literacy assessment and therefore,no claims should be inferred regarding the student’s ability to demonstrate foundational reading skills (i.e., decoding and fluency).
ASL Video for the Mathematics Assessments for a Student Who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing
The student views an embedded video of a human interpreter for the Mathematics assessment.If a deaf student does not use ASL, an actual human interpreter and separate test setting will be required.
ASL Video of Test Directions for a Student Who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing
The student views an embedded video of a human interpreter for test directions. If a deaf student does not use ASL, an actual human interpreter a separate test setting will be required.
December 19
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Continuing from last week’s information about Accommodations for students with disabilities, below is a table with guidelines for Response Accommodations.
PARCC Response Accommodations
Accommodation
Administration Guidelines
Technology
Braille Note-taker
Student who is blind or has visual impairments will use an electronic braille note-taker. For PARCC assessments, grammar checker, Internet, and stored file functionalities must be turned off.
The responses of a student who uses an electronic braille note-taker during PARCC assessments must be transcribed exactly as entered in the electronic braille note-taker.Responses that are not transcribed will not be scored.Transcription guidelines will be included in the PARCC Test Administration Manual
Calculation Device and
Mathematics Tools (on Non- calculator Sessions of Mathematics Assessments)
The student uses a calculation device (e.g., four-function calculator, large key or other adapted calculator), arithmetic table (including addition/subtraction and/or multiplication/division charts),and/or manipulatives (IEP or 504 plan must specify which one) for the non-calculator session of the Mathematics test. If a talking calculator is used,the student must use headphones or test in a separate setting.
Students with visual impairments may need other mathematical tools such as a large print ruler, braille ruler, tactile compass or braille protractor.
For students with a disability that severely limits or prevents their ability to perform basic calculations (i.e., addition, subtraction, multiplication or division), this accommodation allows a calculation device to be used on non-calculator Mathematics assessment sessions. The accommodation would be permitted on test sessions for which calculators are not allowed for other students,with the exception of mathematics fluency items/tasks in grades 3-6 for which no calculation device may be used. If a calculation device were used for those test items that exclusively measure calculation skills,the validity of the test claim (Sub Claim E–Mathematics fluency in grades 3-6: The student demonstrates fluency as set forth in the Standards for Mathematical Content) would be compromised, and the score invalid.
Guidelines are provided below for IEP and 504 teams to identify students to receive the accommodation of a calculation device on non-calculator sessions of the PARCC Mathematics assessments:
In making decisions whether to provide the student with this accommodation, IEP and 504 teams should consider whether the student has:
A disability that severely limits or prevents the student’s ability to perform basic calculations (i.e., addition, subtraction,multiplication,or division), even after varied and repeated attempts to teach the student to do so.
Before listing the accommodation in the student’s IEP/504 plan, teams should also consider whether:
The student is unable to perform calculations without the use of a calculation device,arithmetic table,or manipulative during routine instruction;
The student’s inability to perform mathematical calculations is documented in evaluation summaries from locally- administered diagnostic assessments.
The student should receive ongoing, intensive instruction and/or interventions to learn to calculate without using a calculation device, in order to ensure that the student continues to learn basic calculation and fluency.
Scribing or Speech-to-Text
(i.e.,Dictation/Transcription or Signing) for the Mathematics assessments; and for selected response (not constructed response) items on the English Language Arts/Literacy assessments
The student dictates responses either verbally,using a speech-to-text device, an augmentative/assistive communication device (e.g., picture/wordboard), or by signing, gesturing, pointing, or eye-gazing. The student must be tested in a separate setting.
Student’s responses must be transcribed exactly as dictated/signed
Scribing or Speech-to-Text
(i.e.,Dictation/Transcription) for constructed responses on the English Language Arts/Literacy Assessments
The student dictates responses either verbally,using a speech-to-text device, augmentative/assistive communication device (e.g., picture/wordboard), or by signing, gesturing, pointing, or eye-gazing. Grammar checker,Internet, and stored files functionalities must be turned off.Word prediction must also be turned off for students who do not receive this accommodation.The student must be tested in a separate setting.
In making decisions whether to provide the student with this accommodation, IEP and 504 teams are instructed to consider whether thes tudent has:
A physical disability that severely limits or prevents the student’s motor process of writing through keyboarding; OR
A disability that severely limits or prevents the student from expressing written language,even after varied and repeated attempts to teach the student to do so.
Before listing the accommodation in the student’s IEP/504 plan, teams should also consider whether:
The student’s inability to express in writing is documented in evaluation summaries from locally-administered diagnostic assessments;
The student should receive ongoing,intensive instruction and/or interventions to learn written expression, as deemed appropriate by the IEP or 504 team.
Reporting Notation to Schools and Parents:
A notation will be provided on all confidential score reports to the school and parent (i.e., parent guardian report,school roster,district roster) stating that the student was provided a scribe on the PARCC ELA/Literacy assessment and therefore,no claims should be inferred regarding the student’s ability to demonstrate expressive writing skills. Ongoing instruction in the foundational skills may be needed to allow students to continue to attain the important college and career- ready skill of writing.(Note: Notations will not be provided for students who receive a scribe on the PARCC Mathematics assessment or for selected responses only on the ELA/Literacy assessment).
Word prediction on the ELA/Literacy Performance- Based Assessment
The student uses word prediction software that provides a bank of frequently-or recently-used words on screen as a result of the student entering the first few letters of a word.
In making decisions whether to provide the student with this accommodation, IEP and 504 teams are instructed to consider whether the student has:
A physical disability that severely limits or prevents the student from writing or keyboarding responses;
OR
A disability that severely limits or prevents the student from recalling,processing,and expressing written language,even after varied and repeated attempts to teach the student to do so.
Before listing the accommodation in the student’s IEP/504 plan, teams are instructed to consider whether:
The student’s inability to express in writing is documented in evaluation summaries from locally administered diagnostic assessments.
The student should receive ongoing, intensive instruction, and/or interventionin language processing and writing,as deemed appropriate by the IEP/504 plan team.
December 26
Timing and Scheduling Accommodations
What are Timing and Scheduling Accommodations? Timing and scheduling accommodations are changes in the allowable length of time for a student to complete the test and may also change the way in which the time is organized (e.g.,frequent breaks or time of day). In accordance with principles of universal design for assessment, PARCC will provide administrative guidance around frequent breaks and testing time of day. Both of these will be considered as administrative considerations available to all students.
Who Can Benefit from Timing and Scheduling Accommodations?Timing accommodations are helpful for students who need additional or extended time to complete the tests. Extra time may be needed by students to process information (e.g., a student who processes directions slowly or needs extra time to move to a different test question), write responses (e.g., a student with limited dexterity or difficulty with word retrieval), or use special devices or equipment (e.g., assistive technology, audio recording,or scribe). Students with disabilities may also need frequent or extended breaks. Scheduling changes may also benefit students with challenges remaining alert or who are more productive at certain times of the day.For students taking computer-delivered assessments, extended time must be identified in advance by a student’s PNP (during the test registration process).
Table 4 provides the timing and scheduling accommodation for students with disabilities o n the PARCC Mid-Year, Performance-Based, and End-of-Year Assessments that is designed to increase the allowable length of time to complete an assessment or assignment.
Table 4:Timing and Scheduling Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
Accommodation
Administration Guidelines
Extended Time
The student uses “extended time”to complete testing. A maximum of up to one school day is allowed to complete one test session during the prescribed testing window. Students who use this accommodation must be given a quiet location in which to complete the test.
December 5
Last week we shared with you that there will be different allowable accessibility features and accommodations for students taking PARCC Assessments.
Some of the features will need to be identified in advance, and will require what’s called a “Personal Needs Profile”, or PNP.
The PNP should be based on observations and stated preferences by the student or parent/guardian on a student’s testing needs that have been found to increase access during instruction and assessment. Observations based on a student’s interaction with the online testing platform can be made through the practice tests. A student’s testing needs should be reviewed at least annually, and revised as appropriate, to reflect current education-related needs or preferences.
Who creates the PNP for a student?
For students with disabilities, the IEP or 504 team will create the PNP.
For English learners, the educators responsible for selecting accommodations (or an English learner team, if available) will identify the accessibility features in the PNP for the student.
For English learners with disabilities, the IEP or 504 team (which includes an adult familiar with the language needs of the student) will make PNP decisions.
For students without disabilities, and who are not English learners, PNP decisions will be made based on the student’s education-related needs and preferences by an informal team, which may include the:
Principals may determine that any student may require one or more of the following test administration considerations, regardless of the student’s status as a student with a disability or who is an English learner:
Small group testing
Frequent breaks
Time of day
Separate or alternate location
Specified area or seating
Adaptive and specialized equipment or furniture
Below is the table of Accessibility Features that will be available for all students, and includes which ones will require a PNP.
Table1: Accessibility Features for All Students
(Color Contrast)
Black on Cream
Black on Light Blue
Black on Light Magenta
White on Black
Light Blue on Dark Blue
(provided by test administrator)
Directions Clarified
(by test administrator)
Directions Read Aloud and Repeated as Needed
(by test administrator)
December 12
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Although the accessibility features available on the PARCC Assessments are based on universal design principles as applied to assessments, and are intended to increase access for most students, many students with disabilities may need additional accommodations when taking the PARCC assessments. For students with disabilities, IEP or 504 team members are responsible for making decisions about which accommodations the student will need, as well as which features to increase accessibility must be selected for a student’s Personal Needs Profile (PNP). PARCC accommodations listed in this section are intended only for:
Below are ADMINISTRATION Accommodations. Next week we will share RESPONSE Accommodations.
and Mathematics Assessments
Note:
ELA/Literacy and Mathematics
Assessments
Human Interpreter for the
ELA/Literacy Assessments, including items,response options,and passages
Note:If headphones are not used, the student must be tested in a separate setting.
IEP or 504 plan teams may consider providing this accommodation to a student who has a print-related disability that severely limits or prevents his or her ability to access printed text by decoding,or who is blind and is unable to access braille to read text. This accommodation is not intended for student sreading somewhat (i.e., moderately)below grade level.
Guidelines are provided below for IEP and 504 Teams to identify students to receive this accommodation:
In making decisions whether to provide the student with this accommodation, IEP and 504 teams are instructed to consider whether the student has:
- Blindness or a visual impairment and has not learned (or is unable to use) braille;
OR- A disability that severely limits or prevents him/her from accessing printed text,even after varied and repeated attempts to teach the student to do so (e.g.,student is unable to decode printed text or read fluently);
ORBefore listing the accommodation in the student’s IEP or 504 plan, teams should also consider whether:
Decisions about who receives this accommodation will be made by IEP and 504 teams. However, PARCC will collect data on the frequency of its use for the purpose of carefully monitoring and determining appropriate decision-making.
Refer to Appendix D: Reading Access & Sign Interpreter
Accommodation Decision-Making Tool for additional guidance.
Human Readers providing the read aloud accommodation must refer to Appendix B: Test Administration Protocol for the Read Aloud Accommodation and Appendix I: Audio and Human Reader Guidelines for the English Language Arts/Literacy for administrative guidance.
Reporting Notation to Schools and Parents:
A notation will be provided on all confidential score reports to the school and parent (i.e., parent/guardian report, school roster,and district roster) stating that the student was given a reading access accommodation on the PARCC ELA/Literacy assessment and therefore,no claims should be inferred regarding the student’s ability to demonstrate foundational reading skills (i.e., decoding and fluency).
Assessments for a Student Who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing
December 19
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Continuing from last week’s information about Accommodations for students with disabilities, below is a table with guidelines for Response Accommodations.
PARCC Response Accommodations
Accommodation
Administration Guidelines
Technology
Braille Note-taker
Student who is blind or has visual impairments will use an electronic braille note-taker. For PARCC assessments, grammar checker, Internet, and stored file functionalities must be turned off.
The responses of a student who uses an electronic braille note-taker during PARCC assessments must be transcribed exactly as entered in the electronic braille note-taker.Responses that are not transcribed will not be scored.Transcription guidelines will be included in the PARCC Test Administration Manual
Calculation Device and
Mathematics Tools (on Non- calculator Sessions of Mathematics Assessments)
The student uses a calculation device (e.g., four-function calculator, large key or other adapted calculator), arithmetic table (including addition/subtraction and/or multiplication/division charts),and/or manipulatives (IEP or 504 plan must specify which one) for the non-calculator session of the Mathematics test. If a talking calculator is used,the student must use headphones or test in a separate setting.
Students with visual impairments may need other mathematical tools such as a large print ruler, braille ruler, tactile compass or braille protractor.
For students with a disability that severely limits or prevents their ability to perform basic calculations (i.e., addition, subtraction, multiplication or division), this accommodation allows a calculation device to be used on non-calculator Mathematics assessment sessions. The accommodation would be permitted on test sessions for which calculators are not allowed for other students,with the exception of mathematics fluency items/tasks in grades 3-6 for which no calculation device may be used. If a calculation device were used for those test items that exclusively measure calculation skills,the validity of the test claim (Sub Claim E–Mathematics fluency in grades 3-6: The student demonstrates fluency as set forth in the Standards for Mathematical Content) would be compromised, and the score invalid.
Guidelines are provided below for IEP and 504 teams to identify students to receive the accommodation of a calculation device on non-calculator sessions of the PARCC Mathematics assessments:
In making decisions whether to provide the student with this accommodation, IEP and 504 teams should consider whether the student has:
A disability that severely limits or prevents the student’s ability to perform basic calculations (i.e., addition, subtraction,multiplication,or division), even after varied and repeated attempts to teach the student to do so.
Before listing the accommodation in the student’s IEP/504 plan, teams should also consider whether:
The student is unable to perform calculations without the use of a calculation device,arithmetic table,or manipulative during routine instruction;
The student’s inability to perform mathematical calculations is documented in evaluation summaries from locally- administered diagnostic assessments.
The student should receive ongoing, intensive instruction and/or interventions to learn to calculate without using a calculation device, in order to ensure that the student continues to learn basic calculation and fluency.
Scribing or Speech-to-Text
(i.e.,Dictation/Transcription or Signing) for the Mathematics assessments; and for selected response (not constructed response) items on the English Language Arts/Literacy assessments
The student dictates responses either verbally,using a speech-to-text device, an augmentative/assistive communication device (e.g., picture/wordboard), or by signing, gesturing, pointing, or eye-gazing. The student must be tested in a separate setting.
Student’s responses must be transcribed exactly as dictated/signed
Scribing or Speech-to-Text
(i.e.,Dictation/Transcription) for constructed responses on the English Language Arts/Literacy Assessments
The student dictates responses either verbally,using a speech-to-text device, augmentative/assistive communication device (e.g., picture/wordboard), or by signing, gesturing, pointing, or eye-gazing. Grammar checker,Internet, and stored files functionalities must be turned off.Word prediction must also be turned off for students who do not receive this accommodation.The student must be tested in a separate setting.
In making decisions whether to provide the student with this accommodation, IEP and 504 teams are instructed to consider whether thes tudent has:
A physical disability that severely limits or prevents the student’s motor process of writing through keyboarding; OR
A disability that severely limits or prevents the student from expressing written language,even after varied and repeated attempts to teach the student to do so.
Before listing the accommodation in the student’s IEP/504 plan, teams should also consider whether:
The student’s inability to express in writing is documented in evaluation summaries from locally-administered diagnostic assessments;
The student should receive ongoing,intensive instruction and/or interventions to learn written expression, as deemed appropriate by the IEP or 504 team.
Reporting Notation to Schools and Parents:
A notation will be provided on all confidential score reports to the school and parent (i.e., parent guardian report,school roster,district roster) stating that the student was provided a scribe on the PARCC ELA/Literacy assessment and therefore,no claims should be inferred regarding the student’s ability to demonstrate expressive writing skills. Ongoing instruction in the foundational skills may be needed to allow students to continue to attain the important college and career- ready skill of writing.(Note: Notations will not be provided for students who receive a scribe on the PARCC Mathematics assessment or for selected responses only on the ELA/Literacy assessment).
Word prediction on the ELA/Literacy Performance- Based Assessment
The student uses word prediction software that provides a bank of frequently-or recently-used words on screen as a result of the student entering the first few letters of a word.
In making decisions whether to provide the student with this accommodation, IEP and 504 teams are instructed to consider whether the student has:
A physical disability that severely limits or prevents the student from writing or keyboarding responses;
OR
A disability that severely limits or prevents the student from recalling,processing,and expressing written language,even after varied and repeated attempts to teach the student to do so.
Before listing the accommodation in the student’s IEP/504 plan, teams are instructed to consider whether:
The student’s inability to express in writing is documented in evaluation summaries from locally administered diagnostic assessments.
The student should receive ongoing, intensive instruction, and/or interventionin language processing and writing,as deemed appropriate by the IEP/504 plan team.
December 26
Timing and Scheduling Accommodations
What are Timing and Scheduling Accommodations? Timing and scheduling accommodations are changes in the allowable length of time for a student to complete the test and may also change the way in which the time is organized (e.g.,frequent breaks or time of day). In accordance with principles of universal design for assessment, PARCC will provide administrative guidance around frequent breaks and testing time of day. Both of these will be considered as administrative considerations available to all students.
Who Can Benefit from Timing and Scheduling Accommodations? Timing accommodations are helpful for students who need additional or extended time to complete the tests. Extra time may be needed by students to process information (e.g., a student who processes directions slowly or needs extra time to move to a different test question), write responses (e.g., a student with limited dexterity or difficulty with word retrieval), or use special devices or equipment (e.g., assistive technology, audio recording,or scribe). Students with disabilities may also need frequent or extended breaks. Scheduling changes may also benefit students with challenges remaining alert or who are more productive at certain times of the day.For students taking computer-delivered assessments, extended time must be identified in advance by a student’s PNP (during the test registration process).
Table 4 provides the timing and scheduling accommodation for students with disabilities o n the PARCC Mid-Year, Performance-Based, and End-of-Year Assessments that is designed to increase the allowable length of time to complete an assessment or assignment.
Table 4:Timing and Scheduling Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
Accommodation
Administration Guidelines